No More Pasta Guilt! Give Your Meals a New Look by Spiralizing Vegetables

If you’ve never heard of “spiralizing”, you have now. It’s one of the hottest food trends, artfully transforming sturdy vegetables (think zucchini, cucumber, squash, and sweet potato) into wonderfully delicious noodles. Unlike traditionally grain-based noodles (like the starch-heavy spaghetti piled onto lunch line trays in elementary school cafeterias across the country), “spiralized” veggies are light on the carbs and heavy on the nutrients. But more importantly, “spiralized” vegetables are mouthwatering. Seriously, just give them a try—you and your family won’t be able to get enough of them!

So, how does “spiralizing” work?

Well, it all starts with adding a “spiralizer” to your kitchen. A spiralizer is the magic tool that allows health-conscious Americans from all walks of life transform farm-fresh produce into piles of pasta-replacing noodles. But don’t limit yourself to simple veggies—hard-fruits like apples, pears, and nectarines are wonderful once spiraled. Give them to friends and family for a fun, on-the-go snack, or use them to add a little culinary flair to your next dessert. For those of you watching your weight or blood sugar, “spiralized” fruits and veggies are going to brighten-up and liven-up the “bleh” of your everyday diet. Not only will your food look more appealing, it will taste better too! If you’re someone who doesn’t usually “love” eating their vegetables, guess what? You NEED a “spiralizer”, and you needed it yesterday. You’re one “spiralizer” away from creating delicious salads and beautiful side dishes that look as good as they taste. Already have a “spiralizer” Not to worry, there’s something in this article for you too! Try one of my favorite “spiralized” recipes featuring butternut squash (included below) and don’t forget to let me know what your favorite “spiralized” vegetable is!

Ingredients

1 – Small butternut squash, peeled, halved, and seeded

1 – Sweet potato, peeled

1 – 4oz of tofu

2 – Teaspoon of avocado oil

1 – Handful of spinach

2 – Scallions, diced

1 – Jalapeno, diced

Directions

Lightly brush the butternut squash halves with avocado oil before placing cut-side down on the grill (medium-high heat). Allow to grill for 6-8 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and set aside.

Lightly brush sweet potato in avocado oil, then place on grill, cooking 6-8 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and set aside (medium-high heat).

Lightly brush 4oz of tofu with avocado oil, then place on grill for 1-2 minutes per side (medium-high heat).

Take the grilled butternut squash and sweet potato, and “spiralize” them into a medium-sized salad bowl.

Dice the grilled tofu and add to bowl with the butternut squash, and potato.